


Why are You Here?

by Honeymarenn



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Anxiety, Cussing, Death Threats, Dom/sub, Dom/sub Undertones, Drama, Drug Use, Drugs, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fear, Fear Play, Intense, Manipulation, Mind Manipulation, Power Dynamics, Power Imbalance, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honeymarenn/pseuds/Honeymarenn
Summary: Brick Jojo is beginning to find life rather dull. Where does a villain go once he's reached the top? While most evil-doers would probably retire, or at least find contentment, Brick's mind begins to wander. He remembers a time when someone was able to stand up to him. A time when success didn't simply fall in his lap. So, where do you go once you've reached the top? Apparently, back home. At least, that's where he finds himself - ready to challenge a familiar force. He's eager, but perhaps not as prepared as he'd thought./ / /Bubbles has finally found her happy place. Content with the friends she's made over the years and her busy schedule, she's on top of the world almost every day. Petty crimes still plague her city, and she's always ready for a fight, but it seems that most of the big players have retreated into the woodwork. Life is finally simple. That is, until the return of someone she never thought she'd have to see again. This time, there's something off about him. More off than normal. His air is somehow more aggressive than she remembers; more dangerous. At first, she's afraid. Then pissed off. He's returned to screw with her happy life, and she feels the need to wonder; why are you here?
Relationships: Brick/Bubbles Utonium
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	1. Return

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! This is my first post here and my first "real" story. Lots of random ideas bouncing around in my head don't exactly count, I guess. Please let me know what you think - I'll try to update as frequently as I can! :)

Brick’s mind had been occupied for several months. His racing thoughts didn’t relate to the business he and his brothers had built, however, and that was the troubling part. The fact that he could live life completely and entirely distracted for months at a time and their business didn’t even slow down… It was getting so boring. So easy.

Brick had always felt like a predator, or a fire, perhaps. Always moving, hunting, burning. He liked to think, to play mind games… He liked a challenge. He supposed what they did had been challenging – at first. They left Townsville years ago, running away to the bigger city. They began hustling drugs; mostly pills and weed, at first. Crashing with likeminded villains. But their enhanced abilities made it easy to claw their way up the food chain.

And now, sitting at the top… He found himself bored. Once you reached the top in a hero-less city, what else was there? The money was nice. The attention was nice. But he hadn’t had a real fight in years. From the top, he could give someone a simple look, and they’d trip over themselves to follow orders. That part was nice, at least. But his potential was being wasted. At twenty years old, he was already bored with his lavish lifestyle. Even with women, there was no chase. No game. They threw themselves at him. That was when he really started to think; when sex wasn’t even fun anymore.

A lit cigarette in his hand, he looked out at the busy city below him. His calloused hands wrapped around the cold, steel railing as his red eyes darted from person to person. No one could stand up to them. No one would even try. He couldn’t stop the invasive thought that had been prickling from the back of his mind for months.

Someone could.

“Hey- Are you even listening?!” Brick rolled his neck, cracking the bones in response. Though he wasn’t in the mood to, he slowly turned around to face his brother, who was sitting just inside the penthouse, counting stacks of money. He raised his hands, in a defeated and pissed off sort of way, letting him know he finally had his attention.

“What the hell’s your problem lately?” Butch asked, his face twisted in his usual grimace, “You’re staring off into space all the time.” Boomer, who had been laying on the couch, looked up from his magazine. If a fight was going to break out, he wanted to be ready to leave – or pick sides. Whichever came first.

Brick took a long drag off his cigarette as he thought. Would it be best to share what he’d been thinking? Butch seriously got on his fucking nerves at times, but he supposed telling them wouldn’t hurt. It would only set his still forming plan into action. Besides, they couldn’t stop him if they wanted to. Butch was a decent fighter, but Brick was smarter. “I’m bored,” he finally decided, speaking nonchalantly, his monotone voice only further pissing his dark-haired brother off.

“Excuse me?” He asked, a challenging undertone to his words. “Bored? You haven’t done a damn thing for months. Boomer and I have been running this shit on our own!” He exclaimed, slamming the money down on the table. Brick raised a brow. Butch’s attitude was nothing new. He so desperately needed a change in pace.

“And isn’t that very telling?” He asked, pushing himself off the railing and walking closer, leaning against the wooden doorframe. “The fact that you two idiots can take care of it on your own just speaks to how easy crime has gotten. No one can stop us. It’s mind-numbingly dull.” Brick raised his hands to his temple, already coping with a headache. Butch glared at his redhaired brother, clearly insulted. He scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. He was still pissed, but even he could admit that Brick was better at planning. Unlike his brother, however, Butch was content with underground boxing matches. Brick craved the adrenaline rush that came with fighting for his life. The strategizing of war.

Something he hadn’t had in years.

“So, what’s your point? I’m guessing you have some kind of idea, right? Unless you’ve just been brain dead the last couple a’ months.” He asked, leaning back in his seat. Boomer sat up from the other side of the room, but neither of his brothers noticed. Butch was expecting a god-level plan to come out of his brother’s throat, and if he didn’t have one, he was ready to throw punches. And Brick simply didn’t care to take notice.

The redhead took a final, deep drag off his cigarette before extinguishing it on the doorframe. “Since when do I owe you an explanation?” He flicked the cigarette butt in Butch’s direction, and the green Ruff sprung up from his seat, lunging for his brother’s throat. Brick and Butch struggled for only a few seconds before Brick had his quick-tempered brother in a chokehold on the floor. Butch coughed and clawed at his brother’s grip. “That’s my point,” Brick finally spat, letting go of his brother with a hard shove. “Everything’s so easy. I want to go up against a real opponent. I’m sick of fights that last less than a minute.”

Brick stood up and lit another cigarette. He was addicted, he supposed, but he didn’t give a shit. Butch had been fighting regular people for so long, he forgot what it was like to fight an enhanced person. He coughed a few more times, rubbing his neck as he looked up at his brother. He thought he had an idea of where Brick was going with all this, but he had to be wrong.

He crossed his legs from his place on the floor, exhaling deeply. “So?” He dared to ask again, unafraid of another beating. He knew Brick didn’t care enough to show him twice. Brick didn’t seem to care about anything those days. “Where the fuck are you going with all this?”

Brick shrugged, though he knew the answer. He’d known for a long time. “I’m going back to Townsville.” Butch and Boomer erupted at his simple response, yelling at him in unison.

“What the fuck are you talking about?!” Butch asked. “Look around! We live in a goddamn mansion! I have five sports cars! And you wanna go back to that shitty little city to get your ass beat by the Powerpuff Girls?” Brick chuckled.

“That’s why you two are staying here until I need you. If I need you.” He took another drag, clearly unmoved by his brothers’ protests. “The Powerpuff Girls are our only equals on this planet. There is no one else that can stand up to us. So, I’m gonna have some fun with that.” Butch only shook his head; though, in truth, his mind was moving too.

“Whatever, dude. It’s your funeral,” was all he said before returning to counting his money. Boomer didn’t speak at all, which was very characteristic of him those days. When you get hit every time you open your mouth, you learn not to open your mouth. Besides, they weren’t a very sentimental family. 

So, instead of postponing the inevitable, Brick went to his room and packed a bag of what he deemed to be essentials. Mostly just money – anything he needed he could just buy upon arrival in the much smaller city. He didn’t bother saying goodbye to his brothers – he already had. In a way. Instead, he simply made his way to their garage and retrieved his motorcycle. He didn’t bother with a helmet either; there was no need. And besides, he wasn’t exactly trying to conceal his identity. The drive to Townsville was just over an hour, and he had to admit, he was eager to reach his destination.

/ / /

Brick was puzzled when he arrived. The sun was just beginning to set when he pulled into Townsville. The city was a ghost town. What kind of city is empty on a Friday evening? He wondered, dismounting his bike, which he left parked in front of a little café not far from the city center. In the golden light the setting sun provided, he wandered around for a while, hands stuck in his jacket pockets. Brick took advantage of his enhanced senses and followed the faint sounds of cheering to the center of the city, just in front of the Mayor’s office.

There, he found all the people. The area was flooded with excited people, cheering and shouting. As Brick got closer, he found the Mayor stood on a raised platform, giving some speech. Behind him, he had just unveiled a statue. A bronze statue, honoring none other than the Powerpuff girls. Brick almost couldn’t believe his luck. The girls the statue was modeled after stood to the left of the mayor; smiling, waving, and posing for pictures. He hadn’t needed to search for very long.

He made his way to the center of the crowd, eager to get a better look. The statue featured the girls in their signature places – Blossom in the center, Buttercup to the right, and Bubbles to the left. They stood in defensive poses, as though they were mid-fight. He knew he was very lucky to happen to return on such an important day to them. It had been unintentional, but he knew it would plant seeds of anxiety and unease in their minds.

Briefly, he looked the girls over, sizing them up. Blossom still looked like a bitch. She stood proud and strong, laughing gleefully in response to the people’s reactions. He would be quite pleased to burst her bubble. He’d always hated her the most. Maybe that said something about his subconscious – but he didn’t care to delve into that.

Buttercup had always reminded him too much of Butch. She still read like a tomboy, hair messy and short. He hadn’t expected to see her smiling at all the people, but she was. Maybe honored wasn’t the right word, but she at least looked pleased, relishing in the positive attention. Her stance was relaxed, not tight and proper like Blossoms.

But Bubbles. Brick almost hadn’t recognized her at first. She stood alongside her sisters, smiling and waving shyly. She wore a black turtleneck, along with tight, plaid pants. Her hair was longer than it had been, grown out to reach beyond her shoulders. Seeing her again was so… surreal. In truth, he had a sort of odd history with Bubbles specifically. Although he had expected his eyes to linger for a moment, he wasn’t expecting his body to give such a clear reaction. Odd. He hadn’t seen her in nearly seven years. Why did his body still care?

When they were younger – still elementary-aged, the boys had to stop committing large scale crimes. No more destroying the city; they were forced to attend school. They weren’t angels, of course – they were constantly getting into trouble. But Bubbles never seemed to care. She didn’t run away when they approached. Blossom turned up her nose and Buttercup threatened to end any fight they wanted to start, but Bubbles was content with coloring or playing with dolls. She never really cared.

As a kid, she’d interested him. In sort of a sick way, but he didn’t know that back then. So, he talked to her. She was always happy to talk back. They became… friends, more or less. He wouldn’t have called her that, but Bubbles never seemed bothered by the word. She didn’t care what the other kids said, either; not even her sisters. Later in life, Brick would chalk that up to her just being dumb and naive.

When it was time to move on to middle school, puberty came about. Puberty is shit for any kid to go through, but when all your senses are enhanced, it’s even worse. Because Bubbles had been the only person to ever really make him think, he ended up twisting the growing pains he had been experiencing in her direction. Torment became a daily occurrence, and even then, he wasn’t exactly sure why he did it. Of course, standing where he was then as a twenty-year-old, Brick knew exactly why his ten-year-old self began bullying the blonde. She interested him, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. Thinking back, Brick had a very easy time identifying those feelings. He understood once he reached high school what those feelings in his gut were.

Going through those changes, Brick had really just wanted to fuck the only girl that had ever really caught his attention. His bullying only made it worse. She wasn’t necessarily afraid of him, but the shift he could see in her pale blue eyes when he approached her made him ache. She wasn’t interested in humoring him and didn’t seem very remorseful when it came to cutting ties with the old friend. She rolled her eyes when he punched the lockers next to her face, daring him to start something real. That only fueled his fire more.

Brick and his brothers left before they could finish their first week of high school. Not committing crimes was getting old. They craved that thrill again. Brick found the irony in the situation, that he was back where he started, craving a much older thrill. And when Bubbles met his eyes from her place on that raised platform, he found satisfaction once again.

Fear and shock flooded the pale blue orbs, and she froze in place. Her eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from his for what could’ve very well been several minutes. Neither of them knew. A smirk crept over his lips as he watched her reaction, fully relishing in the view. Almost immediately after, she composed herself, her award-winning smile returning; but Brick wasn’t blind. He could see beyond her rouse that she put on for the cameras.

She was nervous.

Very discreetly, Bubbles tugged on the hem of Blossom’s skirt, still waving, and wiping away a stray bead of anxious sweat. Blossom quirked a brow, almost asking her sister what the problem was, but she very quickly caught on. She followed Bubbles’ eyes to Brick, and immediately, she looked like a pissed-off cat.  
Slowly, Brick began to clap along with the crowd. It was a mocking gesture, one that showed just how amused he was by the whole situation. Just his attendance set them on edge. That was what he’d been missing. It didn’t take long for Buttercup to catch on either, and soon, the entirety of their team had their eyes on him. Pissed, suspicious, and scared.

This would be so much fun.

/ / / 

The ceremony ended rather quickly after the girls spotted Brick. Blossom had been almost desperate to catch him, but the media bombarded them with questions, not giving any of the girls a second to slip away. She thought about blowing them off – something with as much severity as the return of a very dangerous group should take priority. But she knew better than to do that; the news outlets would make up their own stories if the girls didn’t give them one, and they’d just use the footage of them rushing out against them. Brick disappeared with the crowd into the evening, and just like that, he was gone. They didn’t dare to speak about him until they were in the safety of their home, the Professor already asleep in his lab.

Bubbles took a seat on the couch as soon as they got home, knees pulled up to her chest as she watched Blossom pace the floor. The pink puff had one hand on her hip, the other on her chin as her eyes darted about the floor, deep in thought. She muttered incoherently as she walked, and Bubbles was certain she’d burn a hole in the carpet. Buttercup had retrieved a popsicle from the freezer and sat on a barstool, tennis shoes hooked around the legs. “Bloss, you’re really starting to freak me out.”

Blossom scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. “Oh, I’m sorry! How am I supposed to feel? Huh? Maybe this is lost on you, but the Rowdyruff Boys are the only group we haven’t technically beaten. Like, at all.” Blossom’s face scrunched up in a twisted, truly pissed off way as she turned to face Buttercup, her words like venom. Buttercup huffed and rolled her eyes, leaning back on the counter behind her.

“Yeah, I know. I was there,” she reminded her tightly wound sister. “I’m just sayin’ we don’t need to freak out over this. Isn’t what they’d want? Besides, maybe we never killed ‘em, but we beat their asses plenty.” Blossom glared as Buttercup finished, folding her arms across her chest quite viciously. Bubbles sighed silently through her nose in response to the tension, slipping her phone out of her pocket to text a friend before Blossom shot back.

“You don’t take anything seriously,” she spat, tapping her foot. “This is a big deal! If they’re really back, they obviously have a plan. We can fight, but we can’t beat them. They are our genetic equals. They’re us! How are we supposed to defeat us?!” She asked, and Buttercup sat up, her green eyes narrowing in her sister’s direction, clearly taking offense to her first remark. Finally, from her place on the other side of the room, Bubbles spoke up.

“I mean… we aren’t even sure they’re back yet,” She offered, though there wasn’t much optimism in her voice. “Maybe it wasn’t even Brick. Maybe just a creepy fan that wanted to freak us out.” But she knew in her gut that wasn’t the truth. The air that surrounded Brick had been all too familiar. Dark, and intense. Cocky. His smirk too. The way his eyes didn’t leave hers. He hadn’t been afraid at all. That was Brick. But she wasn’t in the mood to listen to her sisters fight with each other. Not over that.  
Blossom and Buttercup looked between each other. They could tell that Bubbles didn’t believe what she was saying, but what was clear was how exhausted she sounded. It had been a long day before Brick was spotted, and she’d been the one to see him in the first place. Blossom sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, stance easing up, just a bit. Fighting with Buttercup was a knee-jerk reaction at times.

“Right. I guess all we can really do is wait. It was a power move to come to our statue unveiling, so either way, they’ve been watching us,” she stated, already paranoid. She wanted to sweep for bugs, but that wasn’t practical. Tonight. “Keep your cellphones on you at all times. If we spot any one of them – even if it's just for a second, or if we’re not sure, we have to call each other. This could be a very big deal.”

Buttercup didn’t bother arguing. She nodded in agreement along with Bubbles, and Blossom left to get ready for bed. A moment of silence between the two remaining sisters. They both wanted to allow time for the air to settle. Bubbles because her mind was swirling with thoughts. What did it mean if they were back? Bubbles suddenly felt a dip on the couch where Buttercup had sat down next to her.

“Are you feelin’ alright?” She asked, her tone almost gentle. It was still rough around the edges, but Bubbles knew that love was behind it. The blonde sighed deeply, gritting her teeth silently. She wasn’t sure how to answer, so for a while, she didn’t. Thankfully, Buttercup always seemed to understand.  
“Wanna get into pj's and play Minecraft ‘til you fall asleep?” She asked, a grin spreading over her face. Bubbles couldn’t help but giggle in response. That was something the two of them had developed over the years. Bubbles liked video games and often watched Buttercup play, but the only one she enjoyed playing was Minecraft.

So, they put on fuzzy socks and soft pajamas, playing their game until Bubbles eventually fell asleep. Normally, Buttercup would carry her to bed. But that night, Bubbles fell asleep with her arms tightly wrapped around her sister, and Buttercup couldn’t help but follow her into dreamland. For a moment – for those few hours of peace they shared, the looming threat melted away, and everything felt like it would be alright.

Tomorrow would bring an entirely different reality.


	2. Meeting

The next morning, Bubbles woke up still on the couch. She didn’t remember exactly how or when she’d fallen asleep the previous night, but how she woke up warmed her heart. She’d been laying on top of Buttercup, snuggled into her stomach. Buttercup was laying with her head against the armrest, one arm tossed over it and the other hanging off the cushions. Her mouth hung wide open. She snored quite loudly, and a puddle of drool rested beside her face. Bubbles couldn’t help but giggle. The position looked quite uncomfortable, and yet Buttercup slept soundly.

The first thing Bubbles did was check her phone. She had left a message for Robin on Snapchat, letting her know she wanted to talk as soon as she had the time. Of course, Robin had responded to her pretty quick, but Bubbles had been too distracted to get back to her. She stretched and rubbed her eyes, unlocking her phone to look at their thread.

BubblessUtonium: hey, Robin. Do you think we could meet up sometime tomorrow? Something kinda weird happened at the unveiling.

ItsRobinSnyder: Of course, baby doll! What’s up?

Bubbles smiled at the nickname she’d developed for her in the seventh grade. Robin had been close to her since kindergarten, and it helped that she got along just as well with her sisters. Bubbles loved her sisters dearly, but they were protective in a way that Robin wasn’t. Family, she guessed. It was easier to share certain things with Robin. This was one of those things. She thought for a while on a response, eventually getting up to brush her teeth. How would she even go about telling her? She could barely believe it herself. And maybe she was jumping the gun… Maybe there was nothing to worry about. Nonetheless, she knew it was best to talk to Robin about it. She needed to talk about what she was feeling.

BubblessUtonium: we think… we might’ve seen Brick there.

She couldn’t believe what she was typing either, but that was the most to the point way she could relay the information. Anyway, she wanted to talk about the details in person. This definitely wasn’t an over text conversation. Bubbles was brushing through her hair when Robin got back to her, and a glance at the clock revealed that it was about ten.

ItsRobinSnyder: Woah. Kinda heavy. When do you wanna meet?

BubblessUtonium: eleven, maybe? Cloudy café?

Robin responded with a simple thumbs up and a cat emoji, and Bubbles went right to doing her makeup. It was light that day – she wasn’t really in the mood for anything extravagant. She tried to keep those red eyes out of her head; she really did. But it was hard. He’d always made it hard to ignore him. He didn’t like to be ignored.

Bubbles shook her head in an attempt to shoo away her worried and nostalgic thoughts. She didn’t know him. It had been so many years since she’d last spoken to him. Maybe he was a completely different person. Somehow, that thought didn’t much improve her mood.

Once she was finished, she got dressed. She wore a pair of mom jeans that she had painted sunflowers on last year and tennis shoes. For extra protection, she also slipped on the ring the Professor had gotten her for Christmas. It was a simple butterfly. It made her feel safer.

Before she left the house, she made two cups of coffee – one for the Professor and one for Buttercup. Blossom had already left the house, so she sent her a good morning text and a selfie. Blossom made it clear she wanted consistent updates from her sisters, so Bubbles would oblige.

Typically, Bubbles liked to walk to wherever she was going. She found it to be a more pleasant experience. She said hello to people she passed, and enjoyed the sunlight on her face. That day, however, she found herself looking over her shoulder. She wanted nothing more than to just get to the café. She felt safer within the walls of a building. That was probably foolish, but…

She was early and took a table in the corner of the room where she could watch the doors and windows. While she waited, she ordered a blueberry muffin for herself, and a raspberry crepe for Robin. She sent her a picture of the crepe and covered the image with stickers. The brunette arrived not too long after, offering her friend a big hug.

“So… What’s the deal?” She asked gently. Brick had always been a weird topic. Robin had been right next to Bubbles through the entire evolution of their… friendship? Bubbles wouldn’t exactly call it that anymore.

Bubbles sipped on her hot chocolate, pressing her lips together in a tight line. “Well, we aren’t sure yet. Nothing’s big happened. He was just there. In the crowd. His brothers weren’t with him either.” Bubbles’ words came out a bit lower than she’d meant them to. Her tone expressed her concern, even if her face held back.

Robin nodded, chewing on her lip. “Yeah… But I mean, with how. How’re you feeling about it?” Bubbles rested her elbows on the table, her fingers interlaced and her chin resting on her knuckles. Her eyes glided over the table in a pattern, as though the marks in the wood would provide her with answers. When she hesitated, Robin continued. “I know the whole deal with Brick was kinda weird.”

That was certainly an understatement. Bubbles had always liked him. From the moment he started talking to her in elementary school, all the way to… Well, she wanted to say, until middle school. One day, he just flipped a switch. He was bad again, but… It was different. Like he wanted to hurt Bubbles. He had still been bad before, but he was different.

When they were younger and committing crimes, he seemed like he loved the havoc he was causing. Even in Elementary school, he enjoyed himself when he was causing mischief. But when he started targeting her, it felt… Sicker. Like he got off on making her nervous. His eyes were more twisted, and his grin was fucked up. Bubbles had been heartbroken when he changed, and Robin had been there to comfort her.

“I don’t even know,” the blonde eventually sighed. “It’s definitely weird. But his eyes were the weirdest part. His energy. It was worse than I remembered it being.” And Bubbles recalled it was pretty bad. When she said he began tormenting her, she didn’t use the term lightly. He did everything he could without getting expelled. It didn’t help that he could talk his way out of anything.

“Oh, wow. Worse?” Robin asked in disbelief, and Bubbles could only nod. She swallowed hard; her hands wrapped around the warm cup. She watched the steam float off the drink. It was a mix of comforting sensations.

“Before, he was bad. And in middle school he was really bad, but… Yesterday…” She hesitated, her breathing the tiniest bit shaky. “He looked… Evil,” she admitted, and once she shock wore off, Robin could only shake her head. She rested a hand on top of Bubbles’, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

“Do you think he’s gonna come after you?” She really hadn’t wanted to ask that question, but it was inevitable. This was more than a childhood drama. He had superpowers, and so did Bubbles. Bubbles looked into her mug, swirling the light brown coco with her spoon. After a moment of trying to compose herself, she pushed out a believable smile.

“Surely not, right? It’s been so long… Whatever he’s here for, I’m sure it had nothing to do with me.” She squeezed Robin’s hand tightly, reassuringly, but Robin didn’t look very convinced. She finished her tea before she spoke again, letting Bubbles’ words hang in the air.

“I dunno, baby doll. He was pretty obsessed with you,” she recalled. As much of a playboy attitude he had, no one ever admitted to him having sex with them or even trying. Bubbles was the only one he bullied, too, and she recalled thinking that was strange. What asshole teen boy wasn’t trying to get his dick wet? “That kind of infatuation doesn’t just go away. Especially with crazies.”

Bubbles chewed on the inside of her cheek as she thought about her best friend’s words. She had said exactly what she’d been worried about. But maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. After all, she couldn’t just avoid the situation forever. Brick would either come forward or he’d disappear, and Bubbles would just have to deal with whatever happened.

“Just…” Robin gulped audibly, obviously quite worried. “Maybe, keep me updated, if you can? If you ever feel uneasy you know I’ll drop everything, even if it’s just a call. I can’t keep you safe with powers or anything, but y’know. I can help.” Bubbles smiled, holding onto Robin’s hands.

“I know you will. Besides, you don’t have to worry about me. You know I can hold my own in a fight.” That made Robin laugh, which was all Bubbles wanted. She couldn’t say she felt better about the situation, but she knew she wouldn’t until she was out of that uncomfortable limbo. Until Brick made himself known again.

Bubbles left her brunch with Robin with newfound strength and determination. Why should Brick get to control how she feels? The answer is; he shouldn’t. So, despite the sick feeling in her throat, Bubbles walks to the park. She’d made a point of texting the group chat she had with her sisters to let them know where she was, just in case. Not because she’d been afraid. Just to be safe.

She had brought her backpack, which contained her biggest sketchbook and some pencils; colored and charcoal. She slipped on her headphones and did her best to relax as she pulled her feet up onto the park bench with her, pulling her knees close to her chest and using her thighs as a sort of table. From where she was, she had a wonderful view of the swing set and the fountain, which she sketched roughly. Most days, her schedule was rather busy. She was thankful she’d been free that day. She definitely needed to clear her head.

A pair of children made their way to the swing set and began to play, and Bubbles was eager to sketch their forms as well. Her heart swelled as she watched them play and laugh innocently. She remembered living life like that. It was such a happy, pure way to live. Maybe that was why she’d always been such a sensitive crybaby. She didn’t mind the name-calling she got because of it. She just wanted to be happy. She clung to that innocent way of life, especially when some deeper thoughts began to make their way to the forefront of her mind.

Once Bubbles had finished the rough sketch of the picture that unfolded in front of her, she noticed clouds begin to roll in, providing some much-needed shade. She smiled contently, stretching her arms and humming along to the song that echoed in her ears. The sketchbook sat in her lap, and as she watched the children play, she felt compelled to take her headphones off and listen to their excited giggles. She absolutely loved children.

Bubbles leaned back into the bench, letting her eyes rest shut. The kids laughed, teasing each other. They were wrapped up in their own imaginary world, and Bubbles relishes in the sound. She remembers that feeling, and suddenly, it doesn’t feel so far away anymore. A kingdom of clouds melts into her thoughts. They’re painted like the sunrise. Pinks and yellows, and deep blues lower down. Stars, so clear and bright they’re blinding. An intoxicating feeling rises in her chest as she daydreams, and she decided she’ll have to paint what she’s seeing later. It’s beautiful, and she almost thinks she’s never felt so at ease.

And then, it’s robbed from her.

“Pretty cute, huh?”

The voice plunges into Bubbles’ chest like a knife, twisting sharply. Not because it has to. Because it wants to. She knows the voice – of course, she does. It’s been burned into her mind, and immediately, fear fills the air. Alarm. Bubbles dares to open her eyes after minutes pass, but Brick doesn’t mind. He’s patient.

Hesitation. She can see him from her relaxed position. He’s leaned over the top of the bench, resting on his forearms. He’s right next to her. Bubbles’ heart races in her chest, thumping so loud she can hear it drumming clearly in her ears. Her blood is freezing, and she feels tears sting at the corners of her eyes. They’re tears of stress, fear, frustration, confusion. A million thoughts race through her mind all at the same time.

How long has he been there?

Has he been watching her the whole time?

Did he see her with Robin?

Does he know where she lives?

Each question is more terrifying than the last as she sits up. Her movements are painfully slow, afraid he’ll jump, or snap. When she finally focuses on him, she realizes his eyes are locked on the children that play near the swing set. That almost terrifies her more. She doesn’t think he’s above hurting kids to prove a point. So, protective instincts kicking in and outweighing her fear, she speaks.

“Don’t do anything crazy. There are kids here.” Unsupervised kids, it seemed, as she scanned the park for their parents. They were alone. Even the street was vacant, aside from the occasional passing car. It was like they smelled the tension in the air.

Brick turned his eyes on her after she’d finished, but she didn’t look back at him. She didn’t know that she could. “Bubbles,” he speaks again, and her name on his tongue makes her feel like she’s going to vomit. His tone feigns pain as he places a hand over his chest. “Are you implying that I’d hurt kids?” Bubbles doesn’t answer. She has a feeling his question is rhetorical. “Because I would never dream of doing something like that.” A smirk – an all too familiar smirk – creeps across his mouth. It’s subtle, though even in her peripherals, she recognizes it. “Unless you make me.”

Bubbles’ blood runs even colder, and she shivers ever so slightly at the threat. Her eyes turn to the kids again. They’ve moved on to the fountain, climbing on it and yelling excitedly. There are three of them. A ginger girl. Her hair is in braids, and freckles cover her face. She looked determined as she wields a stick. A black-haired boy, who seems to be the leader of whatever expedition they’re on. And a little boy, dark brown hair and happy eyes.

Bubbles is already so attached to them. 

“Don’t touch them.” It leaves her mouth without her even realizing it, and her voice is low. She doesn’t want to scare them. She feels like a mama bear, hair standing up, baring her teeth at some asshole that threatens their innocence. She can’t let anything happen to them.

But Brick laughs, and that surprises her. “Listen to that fire!” His voice is edged with a slightly mocking tone. “As I said,” he states as he stands up, walking around the bench to sit down next to her. ”I’m not here to hurt kids. I’m just letting you know that I will. If the need arises.”

“What would possibly warrant that?” She asks. It’s almost aggressive, and it’s clear to Brick that kids are a sensitive topic for her. Brick only shrugs, eyes falling down to rest on her open sketchbook, and by relation, her thighs. His posture is so relaxed, one arm over the back of the bench, one leg crossed over the other. When he fails to answer, Bubbles asks another question. Still fueled by her anger, she opens her mouth. “Why are you here? It’s been years. Don’t you have some kind of life somewhere else by now?”

He chuckles again. She hates the sound. It was the sound she heard every time he cornered her in middle school. He’d catch her alone in a classroom, or a broom closet, or even outside. He’d gotten so close those days. She had been certain he’d try to rape her. He came so close so many times, and yet, he never did. She used to wonder why. After the first year that he’d been gone, she didn’t wonder anymore. She was just thankful.

“I’m just here to finish what I started.”

His statement alone causes a shift in the air. It’s colder; stale. It no longer provides nourishment. She no longer feels safe. No longer feels alone. She feels cornered.

Is this even real?

The nostalgic hum of an ice cream truck nearly a block away grabs the children’s attention, and they chase after it excitedly. Bubbles holds her breath; afraid the truck will come by the park. It never does, and soon, the kids are a safe distance away. As soon as she’s certain they’re gone, and the ice cream song fades away, Bubbles throws a punch. It’s the hardest, most determined punch she’s even thrown. She fully intends on breaking his jaw.

It lands, but she fails to pull her arm back quickly enough, and he grabs hold of her wrist so tightly, she winces at the pressure alone. Slowly, a dark red stream begins to flow from Brick’s nose. She was certain she would’ve killed any normal person, but Brick wasn’t normal.

He was exactly like her.

At first, Brick doesn’t notice the blood. It seems as though the punch doesn’t even affect him. His eyes are dark and determined for a moment. No smirk. No cocky attitude. 

He looks like he’s going to kill her. 

And then, he notices the blood.

And Bubbles sees her life flash before her eyes.

His free hand slithers up to his lips, and he touches the blood. It smears on his face, but he either doesn’t notice, or he doesn’t care. Because instead of striking back, he laughs.

He /laughs/. His face twists into a sick, amused grin. It’s just like she remembers. Amused by her struggle. He enjoys the pain; the discomfort she’s in. The sound alone makes Bubbles sick. He’s so close to her – touching her. He’s having fun. Bubbles is frozen.

Then, he twists her arm. A sharp cry escapes her lips as she rolls out of the bench, following his lead to avoid breaking her arm. She’s on her back beneath him, and he’s crouched beside her. His eyes are deranged, conveying an emotion she doesn’t understand. She can’t even begin to piece it together.  
Bubbles’ mouth hangs open as she stares, but quickly, she snaps back to reality. She knows she can’t afford to be beneath him for long. Acting on instinct, she kicks him as hard as she can in the gut. His grip on her arm releases and he flies back, stumbling to get to his feet. Bubbles does the same, not wanting to be at any kind of a disadvantage right then.

She quickly throws her arms up and widens her stance. When they were younger, she couldn’t fight him. Not in school, anyway. And despite his threats, he never really hurt her. He had just gotten extremely close. But they weren’t in school anymore. They weren’t children, and she refused to cower in fear. Briefly, her thoughts shifted to her sisters; her phone. She should call them. But Brick was right there, ready to pounce. There was no way she could get away with it. Unless she ran… Before she had time to weigh out her options, Brick darted towards her.

As he got closer, she swung her leg out in an attempt to kick him in the ribs, but he dodges, pushing himself out and to her right. He throws a right hook aimed at her face, but Bubbles twists her body to block with her shoulder. She hisses in pain and just barely has time to duck below a second punch. Bubbles stumbles backward as he kicks her in the side. She’s sent flying and slams her feet into the ground to skid to a halt. She coughs a few times and keeps herself steady as he begins to walk in her direction. As he draws near, Bubbles’ phone rings.

An acoustic song fills the air between them. It’s a sweet and catchy gentle beat, a woman’s voice humming gently. It’s comforting. Bubbles feels as though she’s about to cry. She can feel her lip beginning to quiver. She holds her left arm out protectively, keeping as much distance between her and Brick as possible. She makes her movements clear and slow as she reaches into her back pocket, sliding her phone out.

Blossom’s picture smiles back at her. Bubbles remembers the day they took that picture. A euphoric reaction washes over her body as she stares at the picture. Blossom stands in front of the oven in their home, an apron covering her front side. She winks and grins at the camera. They had all been making a big meal for Father’s Day. Well, Bubbles and Blossom had been cooking. Buttercup licked the spoons and taste-tested for them.

She’s pulled out of her memory when Brick shuffles even closer. Her hand is pressed against his chest, shaking, but her elbow only bends as he presses closer, taking a look at her phone. She’s backed up against a tree, cornered. He leans down to her eye level and whispers something that makes her blood run cold all over again.

“If she finds out I’m here, I will hunt down those kids. I’ll make sure their parents know their deaths are your fault.”

Bubbles had been avoiding his gaze, afraid of what she’d see in them. Brick doesn’t move. He’s so close she can feel the warmth of his breath on her face. She feels completely hopeless. She doesn’t want to answer the call, but Blossom will immediately suspect something is wrong if she doesn’t.

So, after releasing a shaky breath, she answers the call. She begins to raise the phone to her ear, but Brick grabs her wrist to stop her. His touch is strangely gentle, and it almost terrifies her. He presses the speaker button and listens silently as Blossom begins to speak.

“Hey Bubbles,” she greets simply. Bubbles can hear her car keys jingle.

Bubbles swallows hard, but she does her best not to hesitate. Her eyes are locked with Bricks. He stares at her, and she can’t read him at all. He looks completely hallow.  
“Hey, Bloss. What’s up?”

“I just got off work for a late lunch. Wanna meet up?”

Bubbles felt a wave of relief wash over her, and her stance visibly relaxed. “Yeah, of course! What did you have in mind?”

Blossom hummed in thought. Bubbles heard her car door shut and the engine turns over. “Mm, how about that noodle place? We haven’t been there in a while.”

Bubbles nodded, agreeing happily. But Blossom had always been too smart for her own good. She hesitated before speaking again. She heard the shakiness in her sister's voice.  
“Are you feeling okay? You seem a little off.”

Bubbles’ eyes dart down to the screen, and she responds quickly. “Y-eah, I’m totally fine,” a bit of a nervous chuckle escapes her lips, but she pushes the shakiness down. “I just kinda dozed off at the park.” That wasn’t a complete lie.

Blossom doesn’t respond for a few seconds, but when she does, Bubbles breathes a sigh of relief. “Bubbles, you have to be more careful You can’t just fall asleep in public. It gives people an opportunity to sneak up on you.”

If only she could tell her how right she was. “I know, Blossom. You’re right. Anyway, I’ll meet you at the noodle place in a few minutes, okay?”

“Mhm. Be careful, okay? Love you.”

“I love you too.”

The call disconnects, leaving Brick and Bubbles hung in an uncomfortable silence.

”How sweet,” Brick finally speaks. Before Bubbles can react, or do anything at all for that matter, Brick takes a few steps back. “If you tell your sisters you saw me, you know what’ll happen. And you know I’ll find out.”

Bubbles slides her phone back in her pocket and stands a little straighter. “How will you find out if I do?” In response, a smirk takes over Brick’s face. He doesn’t speak to answer her. Instead, he leaves her with her question, only bothering to wink. Before she can react, he pushes off the ground with a force so intense Bubbles stumbles forward. And just like that, he’s gone.

Bubbles gives herself a moment to calm down, processing her meeting with him. Quickly, she collects her things and rushes to the restaurant. Her right side and her shoulders ache from the fight, but her face is left intact, so there was no real way for Blossom or Buttercup to catch on to the fact that she’d been in a fight. Her chest rises and falls inconsistently and she’s trembling, but she flies as quickly as she can to meet Blossom at the restaurant. She can’t be late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter, woo! I'm planning on dedicating a majority of an upcoming chapter on Brick's past with Bubbles, just to flesh out the story a bit more and provide some better context to their relationship. Also, eventually, I'm planning on introducing another character that isn't necessarily canon. He won't be an especially big deal, at first, and the story will definitely focus mainly on Bubbles and Brick, but I think his existence will end up helping Bubbles stay sane. That's just a little insight into one of my many ideas for this fic, but I won't be revealing much more. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please feel free to let me know what you think, I'm always happy to hear from you guys :)


	3. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bubbles and Brick deal with the aftermath of their encounter, and what it could mean to them. Confusing feelings and old memories are dragged up, and Bubbles tries to cope with the guilt of lying to her sisters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took infinitely longer than I expected, and I am so sorry for that! A lot of very intense family things have been happening lately, but it's safe to say all that is over now, and I'm back to continuing this story. I'm very excited to get it going again, and I hope you enjoy!

Brick couldn’t deny the disappointed and frustrated feeling that settled in his gut as he listened to Blossom and Bubbles make plans to meet. Things had just started getting good. But perhaps it was for the better – he didn’t need to let himself get carried away. Not quite yet, at least. To end their little game too soon would be quite a loss, and in all honesty, he wasn’t even certain what his idea of a good ending was.

What did he want from her, exactly? Sex was the obvious answer. And the only answer. Right? In all honesty, emotions weren’t his forte. He didn’t know what most of them meant, much less how to identify them. That was probably what went wrong when he was going through puberty.

He liked Bubbles. She was sweet, despite the many reasons she could’ve turned her nose up at him and his brothers. And cute… impossibly cute. He hadn’t thought Bubbles would’ve been his type, but there he was, having fucked up dreams about her the summer before entering middle school. She had always chosen to be that little ray of sunshine, even when people teased her over it. At first, before he had bothered to talk to her about it, he’d assumed it was because she was too dumb to realize the things people said behind her back. But, to his surprise, she did know. She just didn’t care.

That was probably the first thing about her that surprised him. And he wasn’t surprised very often. 

At the risk of sounding fucking corny, she was the only thing his young mind actually enjoyed paying attention to. Unfortunately for her, that meant a sick change when his hormones started kicking in. He was aggressive, like all teen boys. But he had a desire to hurt. To take things a couple of steps further than most normal kids would feel the need to go.

The dreams plagued him nearly every night. He imagined touching her, pulling her hair, groaning every fucked-up thing he could imagine into her ear until she cried under him. For him. Really, he loved the dreams. The only downside was that He didn’t have Bubbles to act out his fantasies on. Not yet, at least. And since they were still young, he could only find her at school. But that suited his needs just fine.

He would take advantage of her at every opportunity. Touch her the way he’d imagined, tease her until she cried – but he was never able to take it as far as he wanted. Not really. It was almost better that way, only ever getting a taste of what he really needed from her. Almost better. It went on for years like that until the boys decided to bail. They’d heard tell of bigger and better things in the next city over and, heading into high school, were eager to start real careers. He’d never been able to have Bubbles. That part did piss him off. He was pissy for the first couple of months they were in their new home, but it didn’t take Brick long to find other women to fuck with. That was satisfying; at first. After a while, it got boring.

He craved the history he’d had with Bubbles. Wanted her, specifically. But it was fine, he just threw himself into work. It paid off. He’d never minded getting his hands dirty in the desperate climb to the top. But once things settled, Brick found himself restless. It had been years since he’d truly thought of Townsville, or Bubbles. As he matured, he figured it had been all hormones, and his one-track mind led him to believe Bubbles was special when she truly wasn’t.

But life was stale once they found comfort. He itched for something more. Something he was missing. It was like an animal instinct constantly bitching at him. He needed something else before he was ready to settle down. But what?

A fight.

A fighter.

He had convinced himself that Bubbles wasn’t special and that his young brain had miscalculated. That Bubbles wouldn’t bring any more satisfaction than any other woman he could find.

But he hadn’t miscalculated.

He knew that then, staring into her big, blue eyes. The fear in them as she spoke to her sister lit a fire in him that couldn’t be put out. He hadn’t felt that alive since the first time he killed. And that adrenaline stuck with him all the way to the water tower, where he finally stopped to have a smoke. The aching in his gut and groin filled him with an excitement so intense he could barely wait to see her again.

As he took his first long drag, he touched his nose again. His blood was still there. Fuck, he couldn’t believe she’d really drawn blood. That was pretty much it for him. He’d been right to return. Bubbles was more of a fighter than he’d remembered, and this time around, they weren’t confined to the restraints that came with being children.

He could have her.

He just had to take his sweet time.

/ / /

When Bubbles arrived at the noodle place, Blossom was waiting for her at a table. They hugged, and Bubbles took a seat across from her sister. It felt so wrong to keep a secret from her. “I already ordered for you,” Blossom told her with a grin, and Bubbles returned the smile, thanking her. Their food should be arriving soon. Eating would provide a good distraction. Give her something else to think about.

“Bubbles?” Blossom began, and the blonde could feel her anxiety spike. Did she know? How could she have found out? If Brick found out she knew, he would- … Blossom’s words pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts. “Do you think… I was too hard on Buttercup?” She asked, looking down at her nails.

Oh. That wasn’t quite what Bubbles had been expecting, but it was very welcome. And interesting. Blossom didn’t usually feel bad for being harsh. Even when she was being way harsh. Bubbles hummed in thought for a moment.

“Maybe just a little?” She offered, a gentle smile on her lips. Blossom chuckled lightly in response. Their food arrived, and they began to dig in before continuing their conversation.

“It’s just because I love her, and I worry. You are both very special to me, and… The thought of the boys coming back is a scary one. We don’t know what they want from us yet.” Bubbles averted her eyes in response to that last part. It wasn’t entirely true. Maybe Brick had just been fucking with her, but if he wasn’t, she knew why he was there. For her. “I love you both so much,” Blossom finished off, combing through her hair with her nails.

Bubbles smiled a gentle and reassuring smile. “I know, Bloss. We know. You know Buttercup, she was just trying not to let it get to her. It isn’t that she doesn’t care, she just expresses things differently.”

Blossom held Bubbles’ hands, her eyes soft and relieved. Bubbles was so sweet, so loving. Like a light for her. One that needed to be protected. Blossom let out a short sigh through her nose, her air calming down in the presence of her sister. “Tonight, let’s have a girl’s night. The three of us can go to the store together and get some ingredients to make something fun. Watch movies, play video games… it’ll be good for us. I think we could all use it,” Blossom offered, and Bubbles broke out into a wide grin. That sounded lovely.

She squeezed Blossom’s hands in response, giggling excitedly. “That sounds perfect.”

They finished up their lunch and Blossom headed back to work. They planned to meet up at home after, and all head to the store together. Bubbles stood outside alone for a moment, taking in a few deep breaths. She was excited for what they had planned. Nights like that with her sisters always warmed Bubbles’ heart, and she could use some wholesome family fun right about then. She couldn’t say Brick had completely disappeared from her thoughts, but he had at least retreated to the back as she called Buttercup and told her of their plans.

Buttercup was never overly enthusiastic when girl’s nights came around, but Bubbles knew she loved them just as much as she and Blossom did. Buttercup had also mentioned she was at the skate park with Mitch and told Bubbles she should join them. Bubbles happily agreed, and stopped off at home to grab her roller skates before heading to Buttercup, completely oblivious to the adrenaline high Brick was on across town.

/ / /

It wasn’t just adrenaline Brick was getting high on.

Ace had been a friend of Brick and his brothers for a while. They had sort of lost contact when the boys first moved away, but after word spread of the boys’ success, Ace had reached out, interested in getting in on some of the action. He wanted to work out a deal with them; something that got some of their product to him for further sale. Brick admired the balls it took for Ace to approach them, so he obliged without much hassle. It wasn’t like they’d be losing much if it went poorly, and as it turned out, it went rather well. Ace wasn’t an idiot; he knew how to play the game. Perhaps not as well as Brick, but was that really so surprising?

So, he sat on Ace’s couch, bong in hand. Admittedly, it had been a few months since Brick had gotten high off anything. His mind had been busy working. But right then, he needed to mellow out. If he didn’t, he was sure he’d go looking for that blonde again, and he knew he wanted to take it slow. Let the fear build up in her.

Ace’s coughing pulled him from his thoughts. The green-skinned man was leaned back on the couch next to him, feet propped up on his coffee table. “Geez man, Bubbles?” He asked, and Brick only chuckled. “I woulda pegged you for a… goth girl kinda guy.” He finished off his joint, setting it down on the ashtray on the end table. Brick shook his head, taking another deep hit before passing the bong back to Ace.

“Nah. I like the innocent look. I like corruption. I want ‘em to be scared,” he admitted, and Ace only shrugged. Brick wasn’t afraid to share some of the details with Ace. A part of him wanted to vent… And besides, Ace knew better than to run his mouth. And if he didn’t, Brick didn’t have a problem with shutting him up.

“Well, that’s cool and all, but don’t you think that might be a little hard?” Brick only cocked a brow, leaning back against the arm of the couch, facing the older man. When Brick didn’t answer, Ace decided to elaborate. “Bubbles is a good girl. I get that’s what you’re into, man, and more power to ya. But don’t you think it’ll be a little hard to turn a girl that’s /so/ good?”

Brick chuckled. When he was younger, he used to fucking hate being underestimated. Now, it just amused him. “That’s the best part.” Besides, he didn’t necessarily want to turn her, per se. He liked her sweet and innocent. He just wanted to fuck her til she cried for him. He wanted her to like it, even if she didn’t want to admit it. He didn’t want a relationship or anything like that. Those just weren’t for Brick.

Although, admittedly, the thought of Bubbles in a relationship with anyone but him enraged him.

But that was a problem for another day.

Ace seemed perfectly fine with that answer, as he didn’t ask any further questions. Instead, took another rip before pulling out his phone and scrolling through Instagram. Brick was just about to take another hit when Ace chuckled. “Oh, there’s your girl now.” He handed his phone to Brick so the redhead could get a better look.

A quick glance over and Brick realized he was looking at Buttercup’s Instagram story. Apparently, she was at a skate park with her sister and another kid he sort of recognized. Buttercup whistled from behind the camera as Bubbles did some sort of dance on her roller skates, giggling happily. Clearly, she wasn’t too shaken up over their encounter. The next story consisted of Buttercup doing some sort of trick on her skateboard, which Brick cared less about. A voice called out from behind the camera, telling Buttercup to do a flip, and she flipped off the guy who had suggested it. Finally, a selfie was the last thing she’d posted – only twenty minutes ago. Buttercup snarled into the camera, and Bubbles stuck her tongue out and gave a peace sign. She had pulled her blonde hair back into a high ponytail since he’d seen her, and a few strands fell loose to frame her face. He wasn’t sure if he was jealous or upset, or what the weird stew of emotions that sat in his stomach was.

Was the problem that he wanted to be there? That he wanted to be with her? Or was the problem that he was jealous of the people she did get to be with? And why? That domestic cutesy shit made him sick. He wasn’t into relationship stuff. So then… Why?

Brick stared at the picture for perhaps a few seconds too long, before handing Ace his phone back. “Cute, right?” He chuckled, and Ace only laughed. But still. Brick remained confused. He didn’t typically let things like that bother him, but clearly, that day was a day of new experiences.

/ / /

Buttercup and Bubbles made their way back home, happy to find Blossom waiting on them. They’d had quite a fun time together, and were quite excited to get their night started. They shopped around for ingredients – though, Blossom did most of the /actual/ shopping. They bought new pajamas and took selfies in ugly sunglasses. Buttercup took it upon herself to pick out a couple of scary movies, and Bubbles might have snuck a stuffed animal or two into the cart, along with a super cute pair of bunny slippers. All in all, their trip to the store was successful.

Once they returned home, Bubbles began to make a pillow and blanket fort, complete with string lights and comforters on the floor for some extra cushion. Really, it was more like a blanket castle. It stretched over the length of their living room, completely taking over the space.

While Blossom began cooking their extravagant dinner, Bubbles and Buttercup changed into their new pajamas. Buttercup had chosen some black spandex shorts and a sports tank top, while Bubbles had chosen some pink satin shorts and a heart patterned matching button-up. She also slipped on her bunny slippers and presented her sisters with their designated stuffed animals. When Blossom finished cooking their dinner, she put on some cozy plaid pajama pants and a camisole. They ate together, laughing and teasing. Momentarily, everything felt… good. Right again. 

How it had felt before Brick had decided to return.

But it didn’t take long for Bubbles to remember those eyes. To recall his threats.

He was there to finish what he started.

What did that mean?

Kill her? … rape her?

What did he want with her?

Why her?

How could she make him go away?

What did she have to do to please him?

Bubbles heard an explosion sound from the tv, followed by the screams of her sisters. They had begun playing a video game while Blossom waited for the desserts she’d been making to chill. Blossom was ahead of Buttercup, and the dark-haired girl was not taking it well. She screamed curses at her sister, who only stuck her tongue out and pushed harder. Bubbles felt a small smile take over her lips as she took in the encounter, and only then realized just how fast she’d been breathing. How much her heart rate had picked up. She was… a mess. Maybe it would be best to get some fresh air.

She let her sisters know she’d be heading out for a quick walk, and the two nodded approvingly – without taking their eyes off the screen, of course.

Bubbles slipped a denim jacket on over her PJs and headed out the door, already lost in thought. Actively not telling her sisters made her sick to her stomach, but she felt cornered. What choice did she have, really? Brick threatened to hurt those kids if she told, and even if he was bluffing… she wasn’t prepared to call him on it. She had no idea how long he’d been watching her. No idea what exactly he wanted. Did he want to kill her? Kidnap her? …Was he even capable of that? She had no idea. If he was there, he must have had a plan, right? Brick was so much smarter than her. If there existed a way to overpower her, and he truly wanted to, he must’ve found it by then. The thought only twisted up her stomach more.

She had been walking for several minutes before she came to a cement building with smooth, gray walls. It was cool, somewhat calming to lean against. So, Bubbles did. She leaned back, staring up at the stars above her. She slid down, pulling her knees up to her chest and burying her face in them. She recalled the scariest run-in she’d had with Brick, back in high school.

The boys only attended high school for a week before dropping out, but that week might have been the worst week of Bubbles’ life. Brick’s hormones had been at an all-time high; of course, at the time, Bubbles didn’t know that was why he was being extra awful.

Bubbles had just joined cheer. Being a brand-new freshman – the only freshman to join – she was saddled with all the extra work. Bubbles didn’t mind; she enjoyed the alone time. Enjoyed the feeling of finishing up chores. The captain, who was also in drama, asked her to get some of the painting supplies out of the drama classroom; they would need to work on some banners for an upcoming assembly the following day. Their afterschool practice had just ended, and Bubbles was in no rush to get home, so she happily obliged.

So, still in her uniform, Bubbles went about her business, gathering up everything the captain had asked her to find. It wasn’t supposed to take long, but unfortunately, she wasn’t quick enough. Boomer had left his charger in the classroom, and he and Brick came to retrieve it. They had only been back to school a couple of days, and they had been a very busy couple of days; so Brick hadn’t gotten the opportunity to greet her quite yet. He would make up for it.

Brick sent Boomer on his way wordlessly, and Bubbles could feel her heart drop to her stomach as she realized that they were alone, once again.

“Oh, Brick,” she giggled nervously. “Hi! I haven’t seen you all summer. H- how was your summer?” She asked, desperate for a normal interaction. Desperate for him to reply with a normal answer, not touch her, and whisper fucked up things in her ears. She didn’t want it to go on like that.

Brick only chuckled. She was always so sweet. Even with him. So naive. 

“It was alright. Boring, though. Without you to mess with.”

Bubbles cleared her throat, art supplies behind her back, clutched tightly. “Oh. Well, I-I should probably go ahead and uh-“ she laughed nervously, attempting to pass him as quickly as she could. He stood in her way. “Go ahead and go. I ha-ave a few things I need to… to do before I can...-“ At that point, Bubbles was just rambling nonsense excuses, and Brick wasn’t listening. He took her by the wrist – his touch shockingly gentle, as always. She hated how gentle his first touches always were. Deceiving.

“So soon? We haven’t caught up at all. I’ve really missed you, Bubbles.” She shut her eyes tight as he twisted her arm, taking her whole body with it. Her face was pushed into the wall, and her body was bent over the desk that was next to the door. He stood behind her, her arm still behind her back and in his grip. He could just imagine pounding into her, and it was impossibly difficult to resist, especially with her in that little skirt.

“Fuck, the school shouldn’t allow you to wear this as a uniform,” he teased, bending over so that his mouth was just next to her ear. “It's impossible to resist you dressed like this,” he had whispered, and Bubbles whimpered from below him. The worst part was how hot her face would get every single time he did that to her. The way her breathing hitched with every word he spoke. The feeling in her gut and between her legs.

It was fucked up. He was fucked up.

Why did a part of her like it?

“What’s wrong, sugar?” He asked, barely giving her a second to breathe. “You feel it too, huh? I’d do it for you, if you only asked,” he whispered, his voice low. She hated him. Why did he always play with her? He liked watching her cry. Her pain was enjoyable to him. “Right here… right now…” He continued on, and a tear slid down her cheek. The part she hated most about his little games was that she never knew what the answer was. He would ask her if she wanted him to fuck her, and her mind always had the same answer; no, get away from me, you sick disgusting creep. But her body… her body always reacted to his words.

He grabbed her hair; conveniently tied back in a ponytail, and pulled her head back, yanking a yelp from her throat. “Shh,” He had told her, his voice calming in the most confusing way. Her stray tear rested on her cheekbone. He tightened his grip on her wrist, causing her to wince and whimper once more. He took the opportunity to press his tongue to her cheek, licking up her tear. That was about enough for Bubbles.

She let out a frustrated yell before throwing him off of her. He didn’t push or struggle, excited that he was getting a reaction out of the blonde. She backed up against the wall, art supplies forgotten on the floor. “Why do you do this to me?!” Bubbles shouted, gripping her arm and rubbing at the sore parts. “I thought we were friends! I was nice to you. Why do you treat me like this? You asshole. You’re so selfish, with your stupid fucked up games. Well, I don’t wanna play anymore! You’ve been doing this to me for years. Find somebody else to mess with.” She finished and quickly gathered up the things she’d dropped, rushing to get them out of there before he could answer her, or worse, follow her.

Of course, he didn’t. He’d felt content with how things had gone. Really, it would’ve been more fun to fuck her over the desk til she was a drooling mess, screaming for him right there in the stupid drama room. But he would take what he could get. And really, he didn’t have an answer for her anyway. Brick supposed this was his version of flirting. And there was no one else he wanted. So, he’d wait.

Bubbles still shuddered at the memory. She could still feel him behind her. Feel his tongue on her cheek. That interaction stuck with her more than many of the others. Why? She wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe because that was the time she’d finally told him off. The time she got the last word. It wasn’t long after that that the boys had left, so maybe because it was the last big encounter she’d had with him.

Bubbles sighed through her nose, wiping the tears from her eyes. What did Brick want from her now? Now that they were adults… What would change? Would he be more violent? More sexual? And how… How would she handle it?

Robin had pointed out that he’d never been with anyone, as far as they’d known, all through high school, and how strange that was. It was because Bubbles was all he wanted. But, at the same time, there was a reason Bubbles never dated anyone in school either. She just shuddered to think about it.

Suddenly, Bubbles was pulled from her thoughts by a strange hissing sound coming from down the alley. She looked up, only to realize that some kid was spray painting the side of the building. Which was, of course, illegal in the area they were in. She jumped to her feet, drying the remainder of her tears, and called out to him. “Hey!”

The figure jumped, stopping what he was doing to throw his things in his bag and take off in the opposite direction. Bubbles ran after him. She was gaining on him quick, and as they approached a large city garbage can, Bubbles formed an idea. She flew up to it as he passed it, kicking it over and effectively blocking the alley behind him. Then, she landed in front of him, cutting him off all around.

“You can’t tag here,” she told the masked figure sternly, and to her surprise, he chuckled.

“Yeah, no shit. That’s why I have a ski mask on, blondie.” Bubbles scrunched up her nose in response, a disapproving look on her face as she grabbed his arm and pulled off his mask. He was taller than her, with dark hair and dark eyes. Kinda… cute, really. She supposed she’d let her guard down for too long, however, because before she knew it, he’d kicked her legs out from under her and she’d hit the ground scraping up her knee and cheek, just a bit. He’d taken off once again, his bag still secured in his hand, but he halted and looked back just as she was pulling herself up.

“Cute bunny slippers,” He called with a laugh, and Bubbles felt her face heat up again as she looked down at them. She’d forgotten she even had them on. How embarrassing. She held a hand to her temple, looking back at him as he rounded a corner and disappeared. Oh, whatever. He was just spray painting anyway. She didn’t bother chasing after him again. She needed to get back to her sisters.

**Author's Note:**

> This has been lots of fun to write! I'm already eager to update. I hope you guys are enjoying reading so far, I've got a lot of big plans for this story! This chapter consists of mostly exposition, but the pace will slow down some once it really gets rolling. If you're still here, thanks for reading! <3


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